Grey fleet drivers who neglect the scheduled servicing of their vehicles as Christmas approaches in favour of expenditure on items of a more festive nature, they increase the risk they and their companies face at this time of year,  Mycompanyfleet is warning.

“Fleet managers and HR managers have a legal duty to ensure that vehicles used on company business are safe and fit for purpose, but at this time of year there are many other distractions and other calls on drivers’ discretionary spend,” said Luke Hicks, business executive at Mycompanyfleet, the automotive arm of HR software provider, NorthgateArinso.

“As a result, the temptation is to suspend or divert the planned maintenance of their vehicles into the new year or beyond at a time when, with the worsening winter weather conditions, a vehicle needs to be in tip-top condition.

“It only needs a grey fleet driver using their car on company business at this time of year to have missed a service on their vehicle, to not only put themselves at risk but also increase the risk that their company faces, as well as compromising the duty of care that their company owes, not just to its employees, but to the public in general,” he said.

One way of tracking scheduled maintenance on grey fleet vehicles is through the use of automated alerts to fleet managers to flag up when services are due and the necessary protocols to ensure they are satisfactorily carried out.